PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government’s Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water has granted ASX-listed New Hope Corporation an associated water licence for its New Acland Stage 3 expansion.

The award of the associated water licence meant that the company now held all the primary approvals required to resume mining at New Acland, with the award following the Land Court process, the Coordinator General’s consultation process, and the separate independent assessments of the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and the Minister for Resources.

Chairperson Robert Millner said on Thursday that the grant of the associated water licence was a defining moment for the company.

“New Hope and the local communities around Acland and Oakey are celebrating that New Hope can now re-start the New Acland mine where there has been mining activity for over 100 years.

“New Acland Stage 3 stacks up environmentally, socially and financially and is consistent with and delivers on the Queensland Government’s Resources Industry Development Plan.

It was almost 12 months ago that the Land Court of Queensland completed an extensive hearing and recommended the grant of the mining leases and environmental authority for New Acland Stage 3.

“Since then, various Queensland government departments have undertaken their own extensive reviews and all have granted the necessary approvals for New Acland Stage 3 to progress,” said Millner.

“New Acland Stage 3 will secure jobs in the region and provide significant economic benefits for Queensland.

“We are grateful for the support we have received throughout the extensive processes to date and we are pleased that the region and Queensland can now finally begin to realise those benefits.”

The Stage 3 expansion project will increase the mine’s yearly output from 4.8-million tonnes to 7.5-million tonnes and will extend the operation’s life by about 12 years.

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the associated water licence approval, with CEO Ian Macfarlane saying it was a triumph of process over politics.

“This project is one of the most heavily scrutinised and assessed resources projects in Queensland history and we congratulate New Hope Group on this long overdue news,” he said. 

“Today’s announcement will see new jobs, new business opportunities and new life being breathed back into this community.” 

Macfarlane said the world needed Queensland’s high-quality energy commodities now more than ever to provide energy security and stability. 

“Queensland’s coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports have a crucial role to play as nations work towards achieving their net zero emissions goals. 

“Countries all around the world need time to transition and implement new technologies - including renewables and carbon capture and storage, and further develop the potential for hydrogen to be a green energy source. 

“As we’ve seen in the press this week, some of Australia’s most important trading partners, countries like Japan, are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of investment in new coal projects and the impact this will have on their future energy security. 

“Queensland is well positioned to provide energy security to our trading partners with coal and LNG produced under the strictest environmental and rehabilitation standards in the world. 

“The Queensland government needs to ensure the assessment and approval processes covering new energy projects are robust and able to be finalised in a reasonable time,” he added.